The War Within
by Ophelia's Ghost
Summary: Lupin tries to tame the wolf with in. Severus tries to quell the evil he feels rising in him..... NO SLASH....NONE AT ALL...but there is some lovin...all characters make apperances plz r/r...and thanks for the title suggestions!! :)
1. Prolog

  
  


A/N: Ya please give this a chance, it should be pretty good, this is just setting the scene, chapter one should be up very very soon. Like…..now! so just read and review…..:) Oh yea the paragraphs are kinda messed up...im trying to fix that...... 

~PROLOG~ 

  
  
  
  
  


******************************Remus Lupin*************************** 

_Dear Mr. Remus Lupin,_

_I do hope this letter finds you in good health, It has been too long since we have seen each other. I haven't much time so I will go straight to the point. You are aware, of course, of the incident at Hogwarts last year during the triwizard tournament in which a young student lost his life. I have every reason to believe that this was the doings of Lord Voldemort, risen again. All of the signs are here Remus, and they can not be ignored. Unfortunately, the officials at the ministry do not share my view. In short Remus I once again need your help. You are one of the smartest and bravest wizards of your time and your assistance will be invaluable to our cause. I have sent Sirius to your house, he will need to remain in hiding. I ask that both you and Sirius would meet with me at the glen in the Forbidden Forest at 9:30 PM on August the 9th (I Have taken the liberty of checking the lunar calendar to make the date the most convenient for you.) Please sent me a response once Sirius arrives, if I do not get a letter by the 25th of July I will assume that he has been apprehended and will then inform you of a new course of action._

_I remain yours truly_

AlbusDumbledore 

Remus looked up from the letter and rubbed his eyes. It had to have been the 50th time he read the letter since it had arrived two days ago. It was all beginning again, he thought to himself, it wouldn't be long now before war was once again upon them. Slowly he walked the length of the room, and in his present place of residence (not "home", for even Hagrid would be appalled at this shack) meant that he had crossed from the sitting room, through the dinning room and to the kitchen. Gazing out at the moor in front of him he tried not to let his thoughts wander to far. But that was a lost cause. 

How could he possibly help Dumbledore now? He had been out of step with the rest of the wizarding world since his resignation from Hogwarts two years ago. Being a professor at the school was a high profile job in the wizarding community and as such news of his _condition_ had spred through out England like wild fire, making it hard to find another job, or place to live. All in all Remus liked his solitude, he was never the social butterfly his friends were in high school and after. He had only had two meaning full relationships with other women, well three if you counted her….but he preferred not to think about that. He was used to being alone, and he thought it suited him. 

But that was not what was really troubling him. It was the last bit of the letter. "I am sending Sirius….If I do not get a letter by the 25th of July I will assume that he has been apprehended." Of all those involved, well maybe save Harry, Sirius' situation was the most desperate. Remus hadn't heard a word from his old school friend for three months, and with Dumbledore's letter his anxiety grew. 

"Tea." He muttered aloud "I need some very strong tea." 

With a somewhat tremulous hand he took his wand and taped the kettle, only at that very moment something else tapped the door. Remus stopped and strained his ears. Then he heard it again, only it wasn't so much as a tap as it was a faint scratch. Putting the kettle down Remus went to open the door…. 

**************************Arabella Figg ****************************** 

She turned the corner and headed down the stairs, not having the time nor the patients to wait behind the line of people standing nonchalantly on the escalator. The underground was usually busy at this time of day, but the flood of people pouring down into the trains had slowed to a steady stream. The noise and thick smell of petrol were overpowering. She slid two gold coins to the man in the booth and pushed past the turn style. Adjusting her over packed purse she hurried to an open bench and sat down. The clock over the tracks told her that it was 9:35 am and that the next train would be coming in five or ten minutes. Heart rate slowing and legs relaxing she leaned her head against the stone wall and began to think about the last week. So much had happened. Her eyes wandered the grimy station, searching the grim faces of the businessmen late for that first meeting and the groups of teenagers taking advantage of their last weeks of freedom. Her eyes came to rest on her black canvas purse which was sitting complacently by her left foot. Her hand slipped into the opening, it's fingers searching for their prize and when the had captured it finally between the thumb and forefinger they brought it to the light. It was a cream colored envelope displaying fine hand writing and a rather involved seal which had long since been broken. She carefully opened the letter and spred it on her lap. Since it had arrived two weeks ago she had read it more than 100 times. 10 at her breakfast table and around her garden, 50 on the long ride to London and another 40 in her hotel room. Her hazel eyes once again scanned the paper which had made her hurry down the train stop.   
__

_Dear Ms Arabella Figg,___

_I hope this letter finds you and your grandmother well. I have yet to thank her for the delightful cabbage casserole she sent me last Christmas. But I am digressing. I have written to ask a favor of you. As you know the school year starts up again on September the 1st and we still have no one to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. I was hoping that you would reconsider my previous offer. We need someone of your skill and dedication to help guide the students. As you know the next few years will be some of the most crucial in our world. I can understand your reservations and I ask only that you meet with me at The Three Broomsticks on July the 25th, I assure you that this meeting in no way binds you to the position of professor. I'll await your owl___

_Yours Truly_

_Albus Dumbledore_. 

Arabella sighed, it couldn't hurt, could it? It was just to meet with the man after all. She would just explain again that she was still obligated to her past job and couldn't take a year off to teach. The bench began to shake, there was a low rumble and a rush of dense hot air as the large train pulled up to the station. Stuffing the letter back into her purse Arabella squeezed her way through the crowd and onto the car. There was a soft _ding_ and the doors slid shut as the train headed for down-town London leaving a trail of swirling papers and coal in it's shadow.   
  


****************************** Severus Snape******************************* 

The air in the dungeons was thick with the saturating steam from the boiling potion in Snape's office. Three black cauldrons had their bottoms engulfed in green flames over the stone and wood stove on the floor. The cauldron farthest to the left contained a frothing blue brew. A simple base solution used in the formation of many first year potions. In the middle was a boiling yellow brew. This was a more complicated potion, it was an antidote actually. The Fifth years were starting on some more dangerous and complicated potions this year and seeing as how he would have to be teaching these to Neville Longbottom Snape thought it best to keep a store of antidote handy. But in the last cauldron, the one hidden in the far right of the room, was something different. The last cauldron was hiding a thin green liquid that was simmering at a gentle boil. It was over this cauldron that a wiry figure could be seen, hunched over stirring meticulously. Severus Snape's face hovered over the cauldron the thick sickening steam condensing on his cold sallow skin and black greasy hair, giving it more shine than usual. With a shaking skeletal hand Snape lifted a crystal vile and poured silverweed ,the last ingredient, into the green abyss. The broth hissed violently and the putrid yellow froth spilled over the cauldron's rim and oozed to the floor. Snape watched the cauldron with clouded eyes. His face did not betray the tempest of thoughts storming threw his mind. This potion would be the only thing that would stand between him and death tonight. 

It had been 16 years since he had last made Latidum, the only known counter to Veritaserum. If it worked correctly the potency of Veritaserum would be worn down just enough so that the physical conditions of one under it's spell would be unmistakable but the person would be consciously aware of what was happening and what they were saying. Thus if properly trained one could take Veritaserum and control what they said. Five other wizards, besides Severus, knew how to make the potion, three of them had died when it failed to go into effect. That would be his fate if the potion didn't work before he was summoned to Voldemort's side. Tonight was the Ulto Peniso, the death eaters trial. All those who had abandoned the dark lord after he was defeated would have to prove their innocence of treason by answering Voldemort's questions while under the bewitchment and then prove their loyalty by completing a task assigned to them. If they failed they would be killed, if they did not attend they would be killed. Snape closed his eyes and listened to the potion slowly quite down. 

A searing pain suddenly shot threw Severus' left arm down his spine and despite himself he heard himself utter a sharp cry. He was being summoned. Quickly, he hurried, grimacing through the pain, to his cupboard to grab a lead goblet. The hook nosed man dunked the goblet into the boiling cauldron, burning his hand, and drained the potion from the glass, feeling the hot liquid scorch his esophagus. Shuddering as the mixture entered his blood stream Severus straightened and headed for the door. It was time.   
  


* A/N again: if any one is at all interested in this story and would like to help me with it please email me at Ophelia_Ghost@yahoo.com, I can give u a detailed plot summary and some chapters to read for any criticisms Thanks! * 


	2. A slow comfortable screw

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A/N: Ok so this is a bit graphic, so if you don't want to read anything like that sorry. Secondly I want to thank a reviewer for helping me with the title of the story… unfortunatly I accendently erasied the story and the reviews so I don't know who it was…but thank you anyway. well enjoy

~ _Ophelia's Ghost_

************************* Severus Snape ***************************

It's once white paint was all but chipped off, tattered red drapes flickered ominously out of the shattered bay windows, the expansive gardens could no longer be distinguished from a desert waste land, it had been 20 years since anything but dust had grown. Indeed, the mansion made the house of usher look like a marvel of architectural beauty. A chill ran down Snape's spine as arrived at the rusted lion-headed iron front gates. Wrapping his cloak tighter around him he pushed them open and stalked slowly to the front doors. Snape knocked and waited. After about a minute he heard something. 

"_South of the sun the raven flies,_

Only the serpent knows the truth to come" wheezed a small voice

" _At the time when the darkness will rise_

and all will be under the power of the one." Snape snapped back.

The heavy oak door swung opened and Snape was sickened to see that the owner of the voice was a small boy of no more than 12 with a horrible burn scarring half his face. _A slave, Voldemort is starting fresh_ he thought to himself.

"Well boy?" He hissed

"Sir?" The boy coughed

"Where is it?"

"Sir it is in the last room after the stairs."

Snape grunted in response, but didn't move. The boys frightened eyes darted wildly around the hall and then they looked pleadingly into Snape's cold black eyes.

"Please, please could you just give me something to eat, please sir. It's been five days, and I dare not ask the Great Lord. Sir just a crumb." 

The skeletal boy was now pawing at Snape's robes. Snape looked down at him horrified. Suddenly from the shadows came a harsh drawling voice.

"_Crucio"_

The boy began convulsing as he feel shrieking to the cold splintered floor. From admits screams came a low laugh. 

"Lucius." Snape sneered.

Into the light stepped the lean and piercing figure of Lucius Malfoy. With a twisted smile he pointed his wand closer to the tormented boy causing his screams to amplify. Snape retrieved his wand and pointed it at the pitiful creature.

"_Avada Kedavra."_

"Oh come now Severus, you've ruined my fun." Lucius said as he kicked at the dead boy.

"His screams grew tiresome." Snape replied

Lucius smiled and called out,

"Simmons, Wathers. Get this filthy muggle body out of my sight."

Two burly men stalked over and with the air of someone moving a sack of potatoes picked up the staving boy and passed through the open doors. 

"Ah now that the scenery is more pleasant." Began Lucius in a sneering smile, "You have been summoned for the trial?"

"Just as you have." Grunted Snape

"I was summoned earlier this afternoon."

"I take it that you passed."

"Of course I passed!" Lucius rose his wand to Snape's forehead "Do you doubt my loyalty?" he hissed

Snape smirked "I don't think any one could doubt your loyalty Malfoy."

****

Lucius lowered his wand and clapped Snape on the shoulder. "You best be going, he's expecting you."

The room was large and much to the deception of the exterior of the mansion, lavishly furnished. There were four grand fire places, a long table was stationed along a back wall. On the opposite end was a large and high backed black chair. Wizards in long hooded capes lined the walls and a short, quivering balding wizard stood in front of the large chair holding a scroll. 

"Peter." Snape muttered to himself as he walked the length of the room.

"Severus Snape, my lord." Peter announced as Snape stopped in front of him

"Ah yes." A cold voice answered from the in front of the fireplace. 

A tall robed wizard slowly turned to face Snape. The wizard lifted black gloved hands to his hood and pushed it back revealing a face enclosed by a black iron mask carved with the unmistakable features of Lord Voldemort . Snape feel immediately to one knee. 

"Severus Snape." he began slowly, "yes, yes. I was most surprised to hear of your allegiance with Albus Dumbledore." Voldemort practically spat these last words.

It was sickening to watch the dark lord speak. For he didn't actually speak. Sounds came from him, words, thoughts, and they filled the room but never did the lips of the iron mask move.

"My Lord, I only hoped that by doing so I could provide you with valuable information about the resistance."

"We shall see." Voldemort motioned to Peter. "Bring the Veritaserum."

The fat wizard entered from behind the chair with a crystal vile filled with a clear liquid. He walked over to were Snape was still kneeling.

"Rise." Voldemort commanded

Snape got to his feet and before Peter could undo the stopper of the bottle he grabbed it from his hands.

"I have and always will swear my allegiance to the one and true lord."

Snape stated as he uncorked the vile and drained it of it's contents. Voldemort cocked his head and sat with a flourish of robe on his black throne. It happened almost instantly. The cold Veritaserum coursed through Snape's veins causing his every muscle to relax and slip into a state of dreary disillusion. Snape's eyes slid in and out of focus and he could feel his mind become lighter and lighter his consciousness getting cloudier and cloudier. For a horrible minute he thought the Latidum had failed. But then a burst of heat, the likes of which he had never felt coursed from the veins in his neck through every capillary in his brain. Suddenly his consciousness cleared and his mind was his once again. It had worked.

"Tell me, Severus Snape," Voldemort began "Why did you betray your sworn Lord?"

"Betray Lord Voldemort, I?" Snape laughed darkly "No I never betrayed the great Lord. I tricked Albus Dumbledore into thinking that I had turned. He is so keen to give those he knows second chances. I stayed by his side gathering information to present my lord when he needed me."

"What information?"

"I learned of the army massing in the east that was to try and attack Lord Voldemort and his followers. They were being held in secrete locations trained with the newest state of the art defenses."

"What locations?"

"Bulgaria, and some in the Ukraine."

"Continue."

"Dumbledore was also planning some melding of powers between strong young wizards such as the Blacks. But my Lord got to them first killing the woman. I tried in vain to locate Sirius but…

It went on like that for the better part of an hour when Lord Voldemort at last held up his gloved hand.

"Enough! One last question," Voldemort stood "Severus Snape, whom do you swear to serve?"

"I Serve the one true Lord. Lord Voldemort."

Voldemort nodded, satisfied. He had passed the test. It was over. All he had to do now was complete a task to prove his loyalty. Peter walked again to Snape, this time carrying a steaming goblet. 

"Drink." he said and Snape obeyed

As the hot drink filled his stomach he felt the strength return to his muscles and he knew that the Veritaserum had been reversed. 

"And now for your task." Voldemort seemed to be thinking, "as I remember, you always had a rather ravenous taste Severus. I command you to take this wretch-" He snapped his fingers and a horrified naked woman of about 19 appeared from the floor. "out side and kill her."

At this the woman shrieked for help but Voldemort and Snape just laughed.

"You will fill these two goblets with her blood and tonight we shall toast to my rule with them." 

Peter handed Snape the goblets. Taking his cue Snape roughly pulled his arm around the woman throat and began to drag her kicking and screaming for mercy out of the room.

"Oh and Severus," Voldemort said with a sick laugh "What you do with her before you kill her is up to you. But I do advise you to have a little fun."

Snape smiled sadistically and nodded as he continued out of the room.

"Bring in who ever is next." Voldemort hissed. 

*************************Arabella Figg****************************

"Well I dunno what they'll do. Here you go Denis" the curvy witch said as she handed the wizard at the end of the bar his tankard of ale.

"I can tell you this, Rosemerta," Denis began between chugs of his fourth Albert's Choice Malt "I have never had to work such a funeral since the dark times."

"And to think," piped up a rather haggard warlock "the school will be opening again in just a few weeks time!"

"Those poor kids" 

Rosemerta shook her head as she restocked some of the glasses. The door to the Three Broomsticks swung open and a witch of about thirty walked in. She took a moment to look around the establishment.

"Can I help you Ms?" Rosemerta smiled.

"Ah…yes… I am supposed to meet someone here, Albus Dumbledore. He is the headmaster a-"

Denis let out a short laugh, "We all know who he is!"

"Oh, of course," mutter the witch, "he hasn't been in has he?"

"No, not today" Rosemerta answered, "But I wouldn't worry, he's probably been held up with some business at the school. Won't you come and have a drink, ms -?"

"Figg, Arabella" she said as she sat on one of the stools surrounding the bar, "I would love a slow comfortable screw." 

"I am sure you would." huffed Denis. 

Arabella smiled coyly and took a sip of the drink. she was one of those women who could blend into to a crowd. She was athletically built and was a bit on the tall side. She had never really enjoyed the spoils of young love, but was by no means a blushing flower. She could be considered "pretty" if it were not for the dark bags under her eyes, and the ever present absence of a smile on her blank face

"So what are you meeting Dumbledore for?" Rosemerta pried 

The sudden jangling of bells above the entrance of the pub saved Arabella from answering. A very old and very wizened wizard walked to the bar.

"Morin Albus!" Rosemerta said pleasantly, "drink?"

"I could do for a blue moon daiquiri, Rosemerta, thank you" he answered with a smile. "I am sorry that I am late, Ms. Figg but an urgent owl arrived just before I left."

"Perhaps, we could move to a more private table." Arabella offered.

"Excellent Idea! Rosemerta just bring my drink over when its ready."

Dumbledore nodded to Denis and the other wizard at the bar and followed Arabella to a corner table in the back. She took a long sip of her vodka and whiskey as she felt Dumbledore's piercing eyes searching her.

"I am sorry, but like I said before, I have a job, and I don't think the ministry would be to happy if I just skipped out on it." She said

"Ah yes, of course you are part of what department again?"

"Department of International Finance." She said quickly as she took a gulp of her drink.

"Now I remember. Thank you Rosemerta," Dumbledore look at her with almost burning insistence. "I hope you don't mind but I have taken the liberty to speak to the Mr. Dodge, the head of your department." He paused to sample his drink "Excellent!" he proclaimed "I assured him of the how desperate the situation is, yes I must say it is quite desperate." He added as Arabella raised an eyebrow, "And he assured me that it would not be a problem for you to take a leave of absence."

Arabella gave Dumbledore a sidelong glance

"So the decision is yours."

She drained the last of her drink and put down the empty glass. Suddenly her eyes didn't look as tired and her muscles looked a bit more imposing then before.

"I'll do it," she said "if I have your word that I can take what ever time I need off to attend to my duties at the Department for International Finances, no questions asked."

Dumbledore began to nod his head

"And I'll do it for no less than seventy-thousand gallons."

There was a moment of silence and then,

"Excellent," Dumbledore smiled "How about three days to gather your things. I'll meet you in my office on the 29th then?"

Arabella nodded. Dumbledore slurped up the last of his drink and then with a bow to Arabella he walked out of the pub. 

"Rosemerta!" She cried "Vodka, no ice."

What the hell had she gotten herself into?

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A/N: For any who are interested:

Slow Comfortable Screw = Vodka, Southern Comfort, Sole Gin, Ice, Orange Juice. 

Blue Moon Daiquiri = Rum, Sugar, Blue Curacao, lime juice, ice

Ale = you know what it is…

And just for fun because they are sooooo goood….but soooo girly

Witch of Salem = Vodka, Raspberry Schnapps, Midori Mellon Liqueur, Lime Juice, Grenadine, Soda Water, Sour Mix

~ Please Review ~ 


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